Method and apparatus for using unique landmarks to locate industrial vehicles at start-up

Abstract

A method and apparatus for using unique landmarks to position industrial vehicles during start-up. In one embodiment, the method designates pre-positioned objects as unique landmarks to position an industrial vehicle at start-up. The method includes identifying a start-up scenario from a plurality of sensor data wherein the start-up scenario may be one of a unique marker start-up or a pre-positioned object start-up. In response to the start-up scenario, locating at least one unique marker or at least one pre-positioned object within a physical environment, wherein the unique marker or pre-positioned object corresponds with a sub-area of the physical environment, and determining industrial vehicle pose in response to the identity of the unique marker or pre-positioned object.

1 . A method of using pre-positioned objects as landmarks to navigate an industrial vehicle, comprising:
 identifying a start-up scenario from sensor data, wherein the start-up scenario comprises a unique marker start-up or a pre-positioned object start-up;   in response to the identified start-up scenario, locating either a unique marker or pre-positioned object within a physical environment, wherein the pre-positioned object or unique marker correspond with a sub-area of the physical environment; and   determining industrial vehicle pose in response to the identity of the pre-positioned object or unique marker.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying the unique marker or pre-positioned object comprises accessing a database comprising object information. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the object information comprises object identity and object pose. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the industrial vehicle pose comprising creating an initial position estimate, driving the industrial vehicle to a new unique marker or pre-positioned object, refining the initial position estimate, correcting the industrial vehicle pose using the refined initial position estimate. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the unique marker comprises a unique identifier that is readable using sensors located upon the industrial vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the unique identifier is at least one of a barcode, RFID tag, unique structural features, or uniquely positioned reflectors. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for using pre-positioned object as landmarks to navigate an industrial vehicle, comprising:
 a computer coupled to an industrial vehicle, comprising:   an environment based navigation module for identifying a start-up scenario from sensor data, wherein the start-up scenario comprises a unique marker start-up or a pre-positioned object start-up; in response to the identified start-up scenario, locating either a unique marker or pre-positioned object within a physical environment, wherein the pre-positioned object or unique marker correspond with a sub-area of the physical environment; and determining industrial vehicle pose in response to the identity of the pre-positioned object or unique marker.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the environmental navigation module identifies the unique marker or prepositioned object by accessing a database comprising object information. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the object information comprises object identity and object pose. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the industrial vehicle pose comprises creating an initial position estimate, driving the industrial vehicle to a new unique marker or pre-positioned object, refining the initial position estimate, correcting the industrial vehicle pose using the refined initial position estimate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the unique landmark comprises a unique identifier that is readable using sensors located upon the industrial vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the unique identifier is at least one of a barcode, RFID tag, unique structural features, or uniquely positioned reflectors. 
     
     
         13 . A computer-readable-storage medium comprising one or more processor-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
 identifying a start-up scenario from sensor data, wherein the start-up scenario comprises a unique marker start-up or a pre-positioned object start-up;   in response to the identified start-up scenario, locating either a unique marker or pre-positioned object within a physical environment, wherein the pre-positioned object or unique marker correspond with a sub-area of the physical environment; and   determining industrial vehicle pose in response to the identity of the pre-positioned object or unique marker.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein identifying the unique marker or prepositioned object comprises accessing a database comprising object information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the object information comprises object identity and object pose. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining the industrial vehicle pose comprises creating an initial position estimate, driving the industrial vehicle to a new unique marker or pre-positioned object, refining the initial position estimate, correcting the industrial vehicle pose using the refined initial position estimate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the unique marker comprises a unique identifier that is readable using sensors located upon the industrial vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the unique identifier is at least one of a barcode, RFID tag, unique structural features, or uniquely positioned reflectors.